Electric switch



Sept. 24, 1 929. a R w H R- 1,729,385

ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed May 29, 1925 Benjamin F H eyer @WWW V Patented Sept. 1929 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BENJAMIN I. W. HEY EB, OF MONTCLAIR, NEW JERSEY ELECTRIC SWITCH Application filed Kay 29, 1925. Serial No. 33,715.

which after having been advanced a certain distance automatically continues its movement with a quicker motion than is ordinarily imparted to such devices when operated by the hand, thus breaking and making an electric circuit through its terminals rapidly to avoid danger of arcing within the switch.

Another object of this invention is the productionof a switch, the mounting of which is simplified to the extent that it becomes only a matter of adjusting the same on the support panel.

Another object of this invention is the production of a switch having a movable contactor, so constructed and arranged as to produce the maximum pressure upon the contacts to reduce frictional resistance to a minimum, and to avoid arcing by a perfected connection.

A further object of this invention is the production of a switch having a stem and a handle. The mounting of the handle upon the stem is of a unique character, designed to take up the wear and maintain the handle in a rigid position.

A still further feature of my invention is to provide a switch which in addition to the above objects, is highly efficient in operation, yet of marked simplicity as a whole and in respect to each of its component parts, thus its manufacture is economically facilitated bpth as regards to the parts and their assemwith these and other objects in view which may be incident to my improvements, the invention consists in the parts and combinations to be hereinafter set forth and claimed, with the understanding that the v several necessary elements comprising my invention may be varied in construction, proportions and arrangement, without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended olalms.

In order to make my invention more clearly understood, I have shown in the accompanying drawings means for carrying the same into practical effect, without limitlng the improvements in their useful a plications to the particular constructions, w ich for the purpose of explanation, have been made the subject of illustration.

In the drawings forming a part of this specification Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of a housing and supporting panel, illustrating the switch as mounted and connected.

Figure 2 is a back elevation illustrating the fixed and movable contacts,

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view illustrating the assembly,

Figure 4 is a plan view of the handle,

Figure 5 is a bottom plan view of the movable contact andsupporting arm,

Figure 6 is a plan view of a bearing plate with spring actuated ball bearings, designed to operate in conjunction with the supporting arm of the movable contact.

Figure 7 is a sectional view through the handle and the spindle.

Referring by numerals to the drawings 1 represents a housing which may be of any preferred design. Mounted within the housing is a support panel 2 attached to the side walls of the housing by brackets 33. The panel 2 may, however, be supported in any desirable manner.

The support panel 2 has an aperture 4 adapted to receive a sleeve 5. The sleeve 5 is provided with a flange 6 bearlng against the support panel 2 around the edge of the aperture 4. The sleeve 5 is turned down or cutaway as shown at 7 and provided with threads 8 upon which is mounted a tap 9. The tap 9 is threaded down to clamp between itself and the flange 6 the support panel 2. Thus the sleeve 5 is mounted in the support panel 2 in a rigid position, where it is locked against displacement by a pin 10 passlng through the tap 9 and seated in the collar 5.

The sleeve 5 is provided with a series of radially disposed and equally spaced lon gitudinal bores or recesses 11, in each of which is mounted a coiled spring 12, supporting a ball bearing 13, the obiect of which will hereinafter appear.

Contacts 14 are mounted upon the support panel 2, radially disposed in an are around the center of the sleeve 5 and equally spaced apart. The contacts 14 are connected by means of suitable leads 15' with a series of graduated resistances, not shown, or the contact may beconneoted with separate circuits, as clearly shown in Figures 1 and 2. A main connector 16 is connected to afbinding post 17 mounted in the support panel 2 and a short connector 18 connected, b one end to the binding post 17, is provi ed upon its other end with a terminal 19 slipped over the threaded portion 8 of the sleeve 5 where it is secured in closecontact by a'" tap 20.

Journaled in the sleeve 5 is a spindle 21 having a collar 22 keyed thereupon by a cotter pin 23. The collar 22 bears against the sleeve 5 and prevents the spindle from be coming displaced. One end the spindle projects through the sleeve '5 and is provided with a reduced portion 24 having a longitudinal threaded aperture 25. Mounted upon the shoulder 24 of the spindle 21 is the mov able contactor 26. The contactor 26 is looked upon the spindle by means of a screw 27 engaging the threaded aperture 25, the screw being provided with washers 28 and 29, the ob'ect of which will hereinafter appear.

e movable contactor 26 comprises a disk 30 having upon its bearinfi face a series of radially disposed and equa y s recesses 31, adapted to register with the ball bearings '13. Thus when a artial movement is imparted to the movi e contactor 26' through the stem 21, 'the same will automatically continue its movement with a quick snap and more rapidly than if the movement were continned by hand.

Formed tegral with the disk 30 is an arm 32. The end of the arm 32 is provided with a chamber 33 communicating with an aperture 34. A oontactor 35 is mounted in the chamlber 33. The contactor 35 comprises a piston avmg' an integral shank 36 adapted to reciprocate 1n the aperture 34. The free end of the shank 36 has a shoulder 37 and a. threaded rtion- 38. Washers 39 and 40 are slippedzver the threaded portion 38. A tap 41 mounted 3?:11 the-threaded portion 38 serves to retain in ti and inte between 11112 23 11301??? an d the bottom of the chamber 33 around the shank '36,

-is a coiled qiring 42 which im artsa unishunt connections is-1n gin and constant pressure to e contactor To avoid any of and to insure a connection a shunt connection 43 is employed. One"terminal .of the between the washers39and40,withltsshankbetw n adiacentl 44. 'Thelugs44aredesigned to prevent of the shunt connecunease tion 43 and any revolving motion of the contactor 35. The lu 44, however, are of sufficient length to a low for the reciprocation of the plunger or contactor The handle end of the stem 21 is provided with a longitudinally threaded aperture 46. Near the threaded aperture 46 the stem is transversely bored to receive a pin 47. The handle comprises a disk 48 having a hub 49. The handle and hub are rovidcd with a central bore 50 communicating with a recess 51 in the to of the handle which forms a shoulder 52. he hub 49 has a transverse slot 53 at right angles to and intersecting the central bore 50. The bottom of the slot 53 is concaved as shown at 54.

The stem 21 is inserted in the bore 50. The pin 47 in the stem passes through the transverse slot 53 and is seated in the concaved bottom 54. In this sition the endof the stem does not pass t n'ough the bore 50 but ends short of the recess 51, and is secured in this position by a washer 55, hearing against the shoulder 52. The washer 55 is mounted upon a screw 56 threaded into the aperture 46.

It will be seen that the handle is secured upon the stem by the clamping efl'cct produced between the pin 47 and the screw 56 in a rigid and substantial manner. ()wing to this particular form of mounting, any wear resulting from constant usage may be easily and quickly taken up, by tightening the screw 56 1 By virtue of the pin 47 which is in a transverse position with reference to the stem, any twistin of the handle upon the stem becomes imPOSSI 1e. Furthermore, the concaved base or bottom 54 conforming perfectly to the circumference of the pin, produces a seat for the handle which wedges itself in as pressure is applied in the manipulation of the switch.

While I have-shown and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, I wish it to be understood that I do not confine myself to the recise details of construction herein set f0 by way of illustration, as it is apparent that many changes and variations may be made therein, by those skilled in the art, without departing from the spirit of the inyention, or the scope of the appended claims Having thus described the various features of my invention what 'I claim as new and desire tiin secure ayllLetters Patent is:

1. aswi ,asleeve,aflangeuponthe sleeve,atapthreadedu nthesleeveadapted to cooperate with the rspindle journaledinthesleevmmeansfornvolvingthe spindle, an arm adjustably mounted upon the end ofthespindlqareci non-revolvahle contactor mounted in the free end of the arm, and aplurality of contacts in relation to the spindle adapted for" ment with the contactor.

2. In a switch, a sleeve, aflange formed upon the sleeve, a tap mounted upon the sleeve adapted to cooperate with the flange, a spindle mounted in the sleeve, a collar upon the spindle bearing upon the sleeve, an arm adjustably mounted upon the end of the spindle, a reciprocating contactor mounted in the free end of the arm, a shunt connection between the reciprocating contactor and the spindle, and a plurality of contacts adapted for engagement with the reciprocating contactor.

3. In a switch, a sleeve, a flange formed upon the sleeve, the sleeve being cut away and threaded for a portion of its length, a tap mounted upon the threaded portion of the sleeve, means for locking the tap in a fixed position, a terminal slipped over the threaded portion of the sleeve, and a tap for locking the terminal in a rigid position, a spindle journaled in the sleeve, a contactor carried upon the spindle and a series of spaced con tacts.

4. In a switch, a sleeve, a flange formed upon the sleeve, a portion of the sleeve being cut away and threaded, a tap upon the sleeve adapted to cooperate with the flange means to prevent displacement of the tap, a terminal slipped over the threaded portion of the sleeve, a tap for locking the terminal in a fixed position, a spindle journaled in the sleeve, a collar upon the spindle, bearing upon the sleeve, a transverse pin engaging With the collar and spindle, means for rotating the spindle, a fixed arm upon the end of the spindle bearing against the sleeve, a contactor carried by the arm, and a series of contacts in spaced relation to each other adapted for engagement with the contactor.

5. In a switch, a sleeve, means formounting the sleeve, a plurality of recesses in the face of the sleeve, a spring mounted in each recess, ball bearings supported by the springs, a spindle mounted in the sleeve, means for revolving the spindle, an arm fixed upon the spindle, a plurality of recesses in the face of the arm adapted to engage the ball bearings, a reciprocating contactor mounted in the free end of the arm, and a plurality of contacts arranged for alternate engagement with the contactor.

6. In a switch, a sleeve, means for mounting the sleeve, a plurality of recesses radially disposed with respect to the center of the sleeve, coil springs mounted in the recess, balls bearing upon the spring, a spindle mounted in the sleeve, means upon the spindle for preventing a displacement of the same, an arm mounted upon the spindle, the shank of the arm comprising a disk, a series of recesses in the disk in spaced relation to the center adapted for engagement with the ball bearings, the free end of the arm having a chamber, a reciprocating contactor mounted in the chamber, means upon-the arm for preventing the revolving of the reciprocating a series of contacts radially disposed with respect to the center of the spindle adapted for engagement with the reciprocating contactor.

7. In combination with a support panel, a switch comprising a sleeve, clamping means carried by the sleeve, for mounting the same upon the support panel, a series of radially disposed and equally spaced recesses in the face of the sleeve, spring actuated ball bearings mounted in the recess, a spindle journaled in the sleeve, means for preventing a lateral movement of the spindle, a disk upon the end of the spindle, a series of radially disposed and equally spaced recesses in the face of the disk adapted for engagement with the spring actuated ball bearings alternately, an arm integral with the disk, a reciprocating contactor mounted in the free end of the arm, ashunt connection between the reciprocating spring actuated contactor and the spindle, and a series of equally spaced and radially disposed contacts adapted for engagement successively with the reciprocating contactor.

8. In a switch, a spindle, a transverse pin, a handle having a central recess and a central bore, a transverse slot intersecting the central bore, the bottom of the slot being concaved, the handle being adapted to receive the end of the spindle, both ends of the transverse pin projecting from said spindle and being seated. in the concaved bottom of the transverse slot and means for securing the handle to the spindle.

9. In a switch, a spindle, the end of the spindle being beveled and longitudinally apertured, a transverse pin in the spindle, a handle comprising a disk formed with a hub, a central bore through the disk and hub, a recess in the top of the handle communicating with the central bore, a transverse slot in the hub intersecting the central bore, the bottom of the slot being concaved, the end of the spindle projecting into the central bore, both ends of the transverse pin projecting 'from the shaft and bearing in the concaved bottom of the transverse slot, and means in the recess connected with the end of the spindle for adjusting the handle.

10. In a switch, a handle comprising a disk, a hub formed integral with the disk, a central bore through the disk and hub, a recess in the top of the disk communicating with the central bore, a transverse slot in the hub intersecting the central bore, the bottom of the slot being concaved, a spindle projecting into the central bore, a transverse pin in the spindle, both ends of which project from said spindle and are adapted for engagement with the transverse slot in the hub, the end of the spindle being recessed to receive a screw, a washer upon the screw bearing upon the t the free end of the piston, the eontactor' shoulder formed by the recesses and the central bore.

11. A switch comprising a movable disk, a reciprocating spring actuated contactor housed therein, means for conductively shunting the disk to reduce current conduction by the disk to a minimum.

12. A switch comprising a movable arm, a reciprocating spring actuated contactor housed therein, a conductor connecting the contactor and shunting the movable arm, terminals on the ends of the conductor and means to prevent twisting of the terminals on the end of the conductor.

13. A switch comprising a movable disk, a reciprocating spring actuated contactor housed therein, a conductor connecting the contactor and shunting the movable disk,

terminals on the ends of the conductor, means to prevent twisting of the terminals on the end of the conductor connected to the contactor.

14. A switch comprising a movable arm, a reciprocating spring actuated contactor housed therein, means to prevent the contactor from revolving in its housing, a shunt connecting the contactorand the arm to avoid arcing between the contactor and the housing, and means for oonduetively shunting the arm to reduce current conduction by the arm to a minimum.

15. In a switch, a disc of current conducting material, a. movable arm integral with said disc, a reciprocating sprin actuated contactor, means for preventing the plunger from revolving, and means for connecting the plunger to avoid arcin between the parts.

16. In a switch, a movable arm, a chamber in the free end of the arm, an aperture communicating with the chamber, a piston mounted in the aperture, a contactor upon adapted to reciprocate within the chamber,

means connected with the piston to prevent arcing between the parts and means carried by the arm to prevent an oscillation of the piston.

In testimon whereof I afiix m si nature.

B NJAMIN l". W. E ER.

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